Refrigerating system



Nov. 29, 1932. A,BAUMANN 1,889,191

REFRIGERATING SYSTEM Filed April 8, 1932 Patented Nov. 2 9 1932 AnoLF BAUMANN, or WET'IINGEN, SWITZERLAND REFRIGERATING SYSTEM Application filed April 8, 1932, Serial 1%.603329', and in Germany September 12, 1930. i

the refrigerant together with the gaseous mixture from the system and then cooling the mixture below the temperature of condensation ofthe refrigerant. The cooled and condensed refrigerant is then returned to the'system and theinconden'sable gases are allowed to escape. The efliciency of the separating operation may be increased by increasing the degree of compression of such mixture. Such increase in compression, however, requires a special gas removing compressor in addition to the main compressor of the system.

Refrigerating systems arealso known in which a jet apparatus is used in place of a compressor for the purpose of removing the incondensable gases from the system. Such jet apparatus is usually operated by a heat transferring 'medium used in the system which medium may be brine, water or the like, with the result that refrigerant vapor is withdrawn with the gases and mixes with the heat transfer medium. The refrigerant must then be recovered from the heat transferring medium by the use of special means and must be returnedto' the system to pre- 40 vent excessive lossesof refrigerant from the system which would eventually require the additionof quantities of the refrigerating medium to the system. 7

It is, therefore, among the objects of the presentinvention to provide a refrigerating the system.

system in which a jet apparatus is used to remove incondensable gases from the system which jet apparatus is operated by refrigerant vapor without loss of refrigerant to Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigerating systemin which a jet apparatus operated by refrigerant vapor in the system under less than atmospheric pressure is employed to remove incondensable gas from such system.

Objects and advantages other than those above set forthwill be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 somewhat schematically illustrates a refrigerating system embodying the present invention in which an ejector operated by refrigerant vapor is intermittently operated to remove incondensable gases from the system; a Fig. 2 schematically illustrates another'embodiment of the invention in which the source of vapor for the operation of an ejectorfor incond'ensabl'e gasesfr'om a refrigerating system is continuously suppliedwith liquid refrigerant from which the ejector operating vapor is obtained, and

Fig. 3 schematically illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which an ejector for removing incondensable gases from a refrigerating system having a vaporizable refrigerant is supplied only by refrigerant vapor taken from the compressor discharge conduit ofthe system.

Referring more particularly to the drawing by characters of reference, the reference humeral-6' designates a compressor of a refrigerating system operating'orr a vaporiza'ble and compressiblerefrigerating medium which compressor discharges through a condnit 7 having a perforated" partition 8- therein, into acon'd'enser' 9. The refrigerating medium operated why the compressor is liquefied in the condenser and falls into a receiver 11 arranged below the condenser. The receiver 11 is connected with and discharges liquefied refrigerant into a vaporizer 12 in response to variations in the liquid level in the receiver acting upon a float valve 18 and the refrigerant vaporized in the vaporizer 12 is returned to the inlet port of the compressor 6.

The major portion of the compressed gases discharged by the compressor is, of course, refrigerant and is liquefied by the condenser 9. Such gases as air and some of the decomposition products of the refrigerant are, however, incondensable and must be removed from the main refrigerating circuit including the compressor, the condenser and the vaporizer. A portion of the liquefied refrigerant is discharged from the receiver 11 into a vessel 16 through a nonreturn valve 17 and a coil of tubing 18 is arranged within the vessel 16 and is connected, at the ends thereof, with the conduit 7 on opposite side of the partition 8 therein. The upper portion of the vessel 16 is connected with a jet 21 leading into a nozzle like structure 22 in the nature of a Venturi tube. The lower end of the tube 22 is connected with the upper portion of the condenser 9 in which incondensable gases collect and the upper portion of the tube 22 isconnected with a condenser 23 arranged in the conduit between the vaporizer 12 and the compressor 6. The condenser 23 discharges into a trap 24 from which the condensate,

which is almost purely refrigerant, is returned to the vaporizer under the control of a float valve 26 and the air and other incondensable gases are discharged to the atmosphere through a nonreturn valve 27 which prevents entrance of air into the system when the pressure in the trap 24 drops below atmos' pheric pressure.

During operation, a circulation of refrigerant which is in heated condition due to the compression thereof, is produced through the tube 18 due to the action of the partition 8 which produces a difference in pressure at the ends of the tube 18 connected with the discharge conduit of the compressor. The hot refrigerant in the tube 18 vaporizes'a portion of the refrigerant in the vessel 16. The vaporized refrigerant escapes through jet 21thus causing a partial vacuum in the tube 22 which causes the incondensable gases to be drawn from the condenser 9. Of the mixture of refrigerant and incondensable gases driven from the tube 22 by the action flowing from the jet 21, the refrigerant is condensed and discharged into the trap from which it is returned to the vaporizer and the incondensable gases are discharged to the atmosphere as above described. 'Incondensable gases are thus removed from the refrigerating system without the use of a mechanical compressor or other device with moving parts and without the loss of'substantial quantities ofrefrigerant from the system.

It is desirable that the vessel 16 be of such size that the contents thereof will be suflicient to cause removal of all the incondensable bases discharged to the condenser during any single running period of the compressor thus avoiding opening of valve 17 during flow of refrigerant through the main refrigcrating circuit. If the heat of compression of the-refrigerant flowing through the tube 18 is not sufiicient to produce the required quantity of vapor for the proper operation of the ejector, an electrical heating resistance or a coil for the circulation of a heating medium may be arranged therein as shown at 28. Such auxiliary source of heat is preferably connected and disconnected by operation of the valve 17 or a suitable float (not shown) within the vessel 16 so that the pressures within the receiver 11and the vessel 16 may be equalized before the application of the ad ditional source of heat.

The vessel 16 may also be continuously supplied with liquid refrigerant from the receiver 11 rather than merely intermittently as above described by taking advantage of" the fact that an ejector of the character shown in Fig. l'may be used against a counter pressure greater than the pressure of the jet if the vapor discharged from the jet is condensable as is the case with any suitable refrigerant. The connections in a system for the continuous supply of refrigerant to the vessel 16 are shown in Fig. 2 in which liquid refrigerant is drawn from the receiver 11 with the incondensable gases from the condenser 9. The vessel 16 is provided with a float valve 29 which controls the connection thereof with the receiver 11 from which liquid refrigerant is supplied. The major portion of the refrigerant vaporized in the vessel 16 is, however, obtained from the trap 24: which is connected therewith rather than with the vaporizer 12 as shown in Fig. 1. The trap thus continuously supplies liquid refrigerant to the vaporizing vessel 16 under the control of the float valve 26.

Fig. 3 illustrates a simplified form of the invention in which the vaporizing vessel 16 is omitted and the jet 21 is connected with the upper space of the condenser 9 in which the incondensable gases collect. A mixture of the refrigerant and incondensable gases under the discharge pressure of the compressor 6 is discharged through the jet 21. A flow of liquid refrigerant takes place from the connection between the receiver 11 and the vaporizer 12 to the tube 22 under the pressure of the condenser. The partial vacuum within the tube 22 which causes extraction of the incondensable gases from the condenser is produced by condensation of the refrigerant discharging from the tube 22 with the incondensable gases, in condenser 23 which discharges into trap 24 from which the condensate is allowed to escape in through valve 26 and the incondensable gases are vented to the atmosphere through the valve 27. A pressure drop is thus produced in the ejector 21, 22 which causes discharge of the incondensable gases into the trap 24: above atmospheric pressure without the use of a vessel in which refrigerant is heated to produce a vapor discharge through the jet 21 at a pressure above atmospheric pressure.

Although but, a few embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a refrigerating system of the compressor type, a jet apparatus actuated by refrigerant vapor for extracting incondensable gases from the system, and means for recovering the refrigerant vapor and for venting the incondensable gases to the atmoshere. 1

p 2. In a refrigerating system of the compressor type, a jet apparatus actuated by refrigerant vapor for extracting incondensable gases from the system, a condenser for liquefying the refrigerant vapor discharged from said jet apparatus, and a trap connected with said condenser, said trap being connected to return the refrigerant to the system and to vent the incondensable gases to the atmosphere.

3. In a refrigerating system of the compressor type, a jet apparatus for extracting incondensable gases from the system, means for supplying refrigerant vapor to said jet apparatus for operation thereof, a condenser for liquefying the refrigerant discharged from said jet apparatus, and a trap connected with said condenser, said trap being connected to return the refrigerant to the system and to vent the incondensable gases to the atmosphere.

4. In a refrigerating system of the compressor type, a jet apparatus for extracting incondensable gases from the system, a vessel for retaining liquid refrigerant, means for heating the refrigerant within said vessel to cause evaporation thereof, a condenser for liquefying the refrigerant vapor discharged from said jet apparatus, and a trap connected with said condenser, said trap being connected to return the refrigerant to the system and to vent the incondensable gases to the atmos phere.

5. In a refrigerating system of the compressor type, a jet forextracting incondensable gases from the system, a vessel for retaining liquid refrigerant, a coil of tubing extending into said vessel and-connected with the compressor of the system, said tubing being arranged to cause circulation of the A. D. 1932. ADOLF BAUMANN. 

